


Return to Me

by fulminataspqr



Series: Race against Time [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Multi, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-22 01:15:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30030789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fulminataspqr/pseuds/fulminataspqr
Summary: Confronted by the truth that he is the one responsible for humanity's impending doom, Captain Levi Ackerman must help Eren Jaeger retrieve the Coordinate and return to his original timeline. But with old and new enemies around determined to beat them, it is proven to be a difficult feat; especially when he's starting to see his former subordinate in a different light. With new feelings involved, the stakes are getting higher. Will he choose a timeline with her or save humanity?
Relationships: Levi Ackerman & Mikasa Ackerman, Levi Ackerman/Mikasa Ackerman, Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager
Series: Race against Time [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031802
Comments: 20
Kudos: 46





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a time travel AU. Things are bound to change. If I maintain the original material, it would not be a fanfiction but a narration of Attack on Titan. So if some changes are not to your liking, you are welcome to close this fanfiction and proceed to better stories (I assure you that the RivaMika fandom offers great fanfictions)
> 
> You may also notice the "Fix-it" tag. You can blame Isayama for that. Thank you for making me depressed to the point of wanting to write a fanfiction just to make myself feel better, Isayama-sensei. I literally don't have the energy to continue this series but the latest chapter left me feeling so empty and here we are again on this bumpy ride.

_Year 850 - Stohess District_

  
"You look like a mess, Galliard."

  
"Wait, who's Galliard are you referring to?"

  
Annie sighed. "The younger one," she sighed and glared in Porco's direction. The younger Galliard did not even spare a glance that made Annie annoyed more than ever.

  
"Hey, calm down Annie. This is not easy for any of us," Bertholdt piped in. He tried to console Annie by resting his hand on her shoulder but Annie was Annie and gestures like that were one of the things she hated.

"Exactly. Maybe Braun should've inherited the Armored Titan instead of a wimp like him—"  
In a split second, Annie was pinned to the wall by Porco.

His eyes were trained on her in a predatory way. However, the Female Titan was not intimidated. Bertholdt and Marcel immediately intervened but Porco's hand was still clutching Annie's collar.

  
"What did you say?! Repeat that to my face again."  
"Porco!"  
"Reiner should've been the Armored Titan," she spat.

  
Porco raised his fist and was about to hit Annie when she started to chuckle. "You're going to hit me? Go ahead, Porco. Hit me and prove to us that you're a coward."

  
"Stop." The four teenagers stopped on their tracks. 

  
"Kenny."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. This is short. Too short tbh. Don't worry the next chapters will probably be much longer. Anyway, this is just the prologue soooooooooo....


	2. Captain Levi in 850

If someone would tell Levi Ackerman that there would be a day where he would wake up—from a 5-8 hours sleep—without any worries about his and his squad's life, he would probably spat and sneer at the idea. As if someone like him would be able to achieve something so peaceful.

A man like him born to be a ruthless killer? Pft.

But that was  _ before.  _ Before he died and somehow went back on time and became a little brat. No matter how ridiculous it sounded, the  _ former  _ Captain had already accepted his fate. This was him now.

Not a thirty-year-old man. Not a soldier. Not a captain. Definitely not Humanity's Strongest. But a mere  _ boy _ . Not even considered a man yet.

How old was he now? Ah, right. It was the Year 850. He should be sixteen now. Levi stopped caring about dates once he realized how insane the concept of time was.

Winter should be approaching soon.

His whole body shuddered and instinctively curled into a fetus when someone pulled his blanket.

"Wake up, Levi."

Levi groaned once he heard her voice. Being with her for six years and still the uneasiness on his heart whenever she was near never wavering once bit.

"Eren is already waiting for us below," she murmured. As if the panic on her voice would not be noticed if she whispered.

This time, Levi opened his eyes.

How could he forget? Today was the  _ day _ . Levi sneaked a glance on her over his shoulders. Mikasa's long hair was pulled into a ponytail and her face remained indecipherable as usual saved from a little twitch on her brows. It would be unnoticeable to most, but to Levi's trained eye, the reaction is as big as a jump.

Was she waiting for some kind of comforting words from him?

"Wait for me downstairs." His voice was neither comforting nor assuring. It was flat and lifeless. Six years and two lifetimes would not take away Levi Ackerman's indifference. Still, on his bed, his back on Mikasa, Levi sighed when he felt the girl was still hovering behind him like a disappointed mother with an unfilial son. Truly disrespectful.

"Wait for me downstairs," he repeated. The only difference was the tinge of annoyance on his voice. Anyone would not even notice that except Mikasa—good, little Mikasa who noticed everything when it came to Levi—who had her brows furrowed. "Fine," Mikasa admonished and she finally left Levi's cramped room.

It took Levi a minute before registering what was happening. They were going to be conscripted today.

A part of him wanted to run away; to just stay here in their little cabin together with Eren and Mikasa away from Titans, away from the suffocating weight of their wings, just away from death.

But, he would be lying if he said that he was not eager to hold a blade again or to venture outside the walls. The metal taste of freedom, he was yearning for it. It was ironic how he wanted to avoid it but at the same he desired it.

Levi was born a soldier. His heart was on a battlefield. His body was a weapon.

Maybe it was the desperation of wanting something from his previous life or maybe it was ingrained in him. Either way, he was conflicted.

That, however, would not change the fact that he should be getting ready or Mikasa would start reprimanding him again.

After five minutes, he finally made his way downstairs where two teenagers were casually talking about the weather. As if they were not about to take their first step towards the bloody path. A morbid thought made its way on Levi's mind: Several years from now, would he still see the two of them talking like this?

Eren was the first one to notice him. His smile morphed into a frown. "What took you so long?" Irritation. That was something that never left Eren.

Levi did not answer him. At least he still had that privilege. He already made it clear to Eren that he was not obligated to respond to any of his attempts of communication. He, instead grab a small canister on the cupboard inside the kitchen. Ah, yes. He could reach cupboards now. Although, Eren swore that their ceiling is a little low.

While preparing his tea, he couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation happening in the living room. Eren, mostly doing all the talking. Mikasa would occasionally answer with a 'hmm' or 'no, Eren'.

The latter being more frequent. "Eren, let me look at your wounds from yesterday." Concerned for Eren. That was something that never left Mikasa.

Levi suddenly felt a bit stuffy. He stared at the cup, his eyes dark. Suddenly, not interested in his tea anymore. He just wanted to throw away the damn tea.

"It's fine, Mikasa. It's not hurting anymore." The wounds that Mikasa wanted to check were from an accident while Eren was chopping some woods.

"Just let me see them, Eren."

The brunet pulled away his bandaged arm from Mikasa's clutches. Levi sensing Eren's dilemma coughed to get their attention. "Eren, come in here."

"S-sure!" Eren made a beeline to the kitchen where he was greeted by Levi's scowling face.

He looked behind Eren to check Mikasa. Once he confirmed she was out of earshot, he faced Eren again. "You have one job and you managed to screw it up," he hissed.

Eren rolled his eyes and answered through gritted teeth, "It's not my fault that the ax was rusty."

"Eren how many times should I tell you to be careful?!" Levi whispered harshly and glanced at his bandaged arm. He was sure that the wounds were healed now and any trace of it was now gone like it never happened at all. "I'm careful," Eren insisted.

Six years and two lifetimes later and this subordinate of his was still thickheaded. It was hilarious sometimes how two timelines diverge but still found a common ground. Levi who lived through them wanted to laugh so hard, it would kill him.

"Do you want Mikasa to learn about  _ that?" _ And Eren immediately knew he was not just talking about his nonexistent wounds. He clenched his fists, his face going from black to red to green. "I know. I'll be careful next time."

"You better be." Eren gulped. Growing up with Levi, this part of  _ him _ always made his skin prickle for some reason. It was as if Levi was his superior and he was not allowed to disobey him. This notion irked Eren the most. How can someone shorter than he be this...domineering?

As if on cue, Mikasa entered the small kitchen. "Still not done?"

The two boys scrambled away from each other as if they were caught in the middle of doing something unpleasant.

"We are done."

"Yeah. Done."

Mikasa stared at them dubiously.

She knew that these two boys had a complicated relationship. Sometimes they were the closest friends, sometimes they were each other's worst enemies, and sometimes they were comrades. What they had was very difficult for Mikasa to discern. She remembered asking Eren about this but he only shrugged his shoulders and told Mikasa that Levi was complicated in his own way. She asked Levi next and the boy only shrugged his shoulders and told Mikasa that Eren was eccentric in his own way.

Frustrated, Mikasa did not dare to delve into that subject anymore. It's just that Mikasa was concerned. Living with these boys for six years and yet they still feel strangers in some ways. Or maybe it was just Mikasa feeling that. She should consult Armin about this. Besides her, the two boys seemed to enjoy his company the most.

She immediately composed herself. "Hurry up. Armin must've been waiting for us already."

Levi grabbed his cup and he paused when he realized that he was about to hold it on the rim. A habit that was hard to shake after all these crazy timelines. He sometimes needed to remind himself that  _ it _ won't break.

He pursed his lips and held it in the  _ proper _ way. Tea should be consumed slowly but with Mikasa's glare, Levi managed to drank it in one gulp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are lot of questions and hopefully they'll be answered soon :))


End file.
